New Volkswagen T-Roc Review – Is It Really Worth Nearly £40,000?

Volkswagen has a bit of a problem with the new T-Roc.

Not because it is a bad car. In fact, quite the opposite.

The second-generation T-Roc is more comfortable, more spacious, better equipped in some areas and considerably more modern than the car it replaces. It still has that familiar Volkswagen feel, too – easy to drive, predictable and reassuring.

But then you look at the price.

And once you start adding options to a T-Roc R-Line, you can very quickly be looking at a car costing around £40,000.

So, is the new T-Roc actually worth the money?

We spent some time driving the 1.5-litre 150PS eTSI R-Line to find out.

What is the new Volkswagen T-Roc?

The T-Roc sits between the smaller T-Cross and the larger Tiguan in Volkswagen's SUV line-up.

The original T-Roc was a huge success, with more than two million sold since its launch in 2017. The second-generation car therefore has quite a lot to live up to.

Volkswagen hasn't completely reinvented the formula.

Instead, it has taken what people liked about the original T-Roc and made it bigger, more sophisticated and more technologically advanced.

The new car uses Volkswagen's MQB evo platform and is around 122mm longer than its predecessor. That extra length has helped both passenger space and boot capacity.

And you can definitely tell that this is essentially a Golf that's been given a bit more height.

That's actually a compliment.

How much does the new T-Roc cost?

This is where things get interesting.

The new T-Roc currently starts at £31,635 in the UK, with the range extending considerably higher depending on the engine, trim and options.

The 1.5-litre 150PS eTSI is the more powerful of the two launch mild-hybrid engines and comes with a seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox.

Our R-Line test car was listed at around £38,935 when we filmed the review. Current pricing has moved slightly, with Volkswagen's latest listings putting the R-Line 1.5 eTSI 150 at around £38,690 before additional options.

And that brings us to the biggest issue we had with the car.

Because once you start adding the extras, you're very quickly getting into £40,000-plus territory.

And at that price, you expect quite a lot.

Which engine should you get?

At launch, the T-Roc is available with two versions of the 1.5-litre eTSI mild-hybrid petrol engine.

There's the 116PS version, or you can step up to the 150PS version.

Both use a 48-volt mild-hybrid system and a seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox.

Our car had the 150PS engine, and personally, we'd take it.

It's not a performance SUV, but the extra power makes the T-Roc feel more than capable in everyday driving.

The 150PS version can get from 0-62mph in around 8.9 seconds, which is perfectly respectable for this type of family SUV.

If you're mainly interested in getting from A to B and don't care too much about performance, the 116PS version will save you money.

But for us, the 150PS engine is the one we'd want.

What's the T-Roc like to drive?

This is probably one of the strongest parts of the new T-Roc.

It feels very much like a Volkswagen.

The steering has a nice weight to it, the car feels planted and it doesn't feel like you're driving something particularly large.

In fact, we kept coming back to the same description:

It's basically a Golf that's been jacked up.

And that's exactly why it works.

Throw the T-Roc into some corners and it remains composed. There's good body control and plenty of grip, and on a typical British B-road it feels settled and predictable.

Push harder and you do start to feel the extra height compared with a Golf, with a little more body lean.

But that's completely expected.

This isn't trying to be a hot hatch.

Put it into Eco mode, relax and use it as an everyday family car and it makes much more sense.

The DSG gearbox is seriously smooth

The seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox worked really well during our test.

Gear changes are incredibly smooth and, most of the time, you barely notice them happening.

Even when you put the car into Sport and ask more from it, the gearbox responds quickly enough without becoming clunky.

It's exactly the sort of gearbox that suits the T-Roc.

Smooth, easy and predictable.

What about comfort?

Another big improvement is the ride.

The new T-Roc deals with Britain's terrible roads surprisingly well.

We drove it over broken B-roads, potholes and all the usual rubbish that British roads throw at you, and the suspension remained composed.

You get some gentle thuds through the car, but it doesn't crash over bumps.

And that's particularly important because the T-Roc is the sort of car that will spend most of its life doing normal everyday journeys.

School runs.

Shopping.

Commuting.

A trip down the motorway.

That's where this car makes the most sense.

It's comfortable and easy rather than exciting.

And that's absolutely fine.

What about fuel economy?

This is where our particular experience was less impressive.

Volkswagen quotes around 50mpg for the 150PS eTSI, depending on specification and wheels. Current figures are around 50.4mpg.

But our test car was showing figures around 29mpg during our time with it.

Now, there are some big caveats here.

It was extremely hot – around 35.5°C – and we had the air conditioning running, while the car was being driven by different people and wasn't being driven specifically to maximise fuel economy.

So we wouldn't claim that 29mpg represents what every T-Roc owner will achieve.

But it certainly wasn't anywhere near the official figure during our test.

Other independent testing has returned considerably better results, including around 41.9mpg on a mixed route, so longer-term driving should give a better indication of what the mild-hybrid system can actually deliver.

The boot is much bigger

This is one area where Volkswagen has made a worthwhile improvement.

The new T-Roc has a 475-litre boot, up from 445 litres in the previous generation.

And it's a really useful shape.

You've got a 60/40 split rear seat, a ski hatch and an adjustable boot floor.

That adjustable floor is one of those simple features that you don't necessarily think about until you actually use it.

It gives you flexibility depending on what you're carrying and helps make the boot more practical.

Is 475 litres enough?

For most families, we'd say yes.

It's not enormous, but it's a good usable size for a car of this type.

What is the rear like?

The extra length has helped the T-Roc's rear accommodation, but it isn't exactly a limousine.

Knee room is fairly average and taller passengers will start to feel the squeeze.

Headroom is better, though, and the seats themselves are comfortable enough.

There are also USB-C connections and climate controls in the back, which is always useful.

Overall, we'd describe the rear as adequate rather than enormous.

Volkswagen says the new T-Roc has gained significantly more space, and independent testing has also found the second-generation car more spacious than before.

The exterior looks much better

We actually really like the new T-Roc's exterior.

The front end has taken inspiration from Volkswagen's newer SUVs, with a much larger grille and a more aggressive appearance.

On the R-Line, you've got the gloss-black treatment and 19-inch wheels, which give it a much sportier appearance.

The illuminated Volkswagen badge and lighting signature also look particularly good at night.

Around the back, the changes are just as obvious.

The full-width lighting effect and illuminated badge give the T-Roc a much more modern appearance than the old car.

It's definitely recognisable as a T-Roc, but it looks considerably more expensive.

We're less convinced by the design of the R-Line wheels, though.

They aren't terrible.

They're just a little bit uninspiring.

Tell us what you think.

Inside the T-Roc

The interior is where Volkswagen has made some big changes.

You've got a large 12.9-inch infotainment screen and a digital driver's display, with the latter measuring up to 10.25 inches depending on specification.

The screen itself is responsive and looks good.

But Volkswagen's infotainment can still take a little while to get used to.

There are plenty of menus and sub-menus, and we initially had trouble finding some of the driving-mode settings.

Once you know where everything is, though, it becomes much easier.

One thing we absolutely love is the return of proper physical buttons on the steering wheel.

Yes!

Volkswagen appears to have listened.

The buttons have a satisfying click and are much easier to use while driving than some of the touch-sensitive controls we've seen in recent Volkswagen products.

The digital display is excellent

The digital driver's display is one of the highlights.

You can customise the information shown and switch between different views, including bringing navigation information into the display.

The steering-wheel controls also make it easy to change what's displayed.

This is the sort of technology that actually feels useful rather than technology for the sake of it.

And then there are the weird little Volkswagen touches

Volkswagen has a habit of putting little hidden details and quirky graphics around its interiors.

The T-Roc is no exception.

There are little illustrations and shapes dotted around the cabin, including some rather random-looking designs.

We even had a debate about whether one of them showed swimmers!

We still aren't completely sure why they're there.

But they're certainly a talking point.

The big annoyance: the equipment and options

Here's where our biggest criticism comes in.

The R-Line looks and feels like a £39,000 car from the outside.

But get inside and start looking at the equipment and you might find yourself asking:

Where's the electric seat?

There's no electric driver's seat on our R-Line test car.

There's no panoramic roof either.

And several desirable features are optional.

For example, the car we tested had a number of additional packs and options, including upgraded lighting, parking technology, a head-up display and an electric tailgate.

Our test car ended up at around £42,465 once the options were included.

That's a lot of money for a T-Roc.

And this is where we think Volkswagen needs to be careful.

The T-Roc is a good car.

But when you get close to £40,000 – and then start adding options – the competition becomes very strong.

The reversing camera isn't brilliant

Another criticism from our test was the camera quality.

It's an interesting system because the camera view moves with the car, giving you a slightly unusual perspective when turning.

But the actual image quality isn't particularly impressive.

For a car that can cost well over £40,000 with options, we'd expect a sharper, clearer picture.

We've driven several newer cars from Chinese manufacturers recently where the camera systems are considerably crisper.

The T-Roc's camera does the job.

It just doesn't feel especially premium.

At least Volkswagen has kept physical controls

There are some things Volkswagen has got absolutely right.

The steering wheel buttons are a good example.

The controls feel physical and intuitive, while the central rotary controller gives you something tactile to operate for functions such as volume.

The drive modes include Eco, Comfort, Sport and Individual, allowing you to adjust things such as steering feel and driving characteristics.

It's a sensible setup.

What about the brakes?

We've seen comments elsewhere about the T-Roc's brakes feeling slightly snatchy.

Personally, we didn't have a problem with them.

After getting used to the initial response, the brakes felt perfectly predictable and brought the car to a stop without any drama.

Braking feel is subjective, of course, but during our test we weren't concerned by them.

Volkswagen T-Roc vs the competition

The T-Roc is entering a very competitive part of the market.

You're looking at cars such as the:

• Ford Puma

• Nissan Qashqai

• Hyundai Kona

• SEAT Ateca

• Kia Sportage

And depending on the version, you're potentially looking at prices ranging from the high £20,000s into the £40,000 region.

That's a lot of choice.

The T-Roc's advantage is that familiar Volkswagen combination of easy driving, good road manners, a premium badge and a cabin that feels modern.

But some rivals can offer more equipment for the money.

That's something you'll need to consider carefully before choosing one.

What about the trim levels?

The UK range has evolved since the car first launched, and Volkswagen now offers Life, Match, Style and R-Line trims. The range starts at £31,635.

The entry Life is actually reasonably well equipped, with features including 17-inch alloys, LED headlights, an 8-inch digital cockpit, wireless phone charging and various driver-assistance systems.

The newer Match trim adds things such as 18-inch alloys, heated front seats and steering wheel, a 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro, navigation and Volkswagen's IDA voice assistant with ChatGPT.

The Style and R-Line versions then push the car further upmarket.

For us, that's why the cheaper trims make a lot of sense.

You get the fundamental T-Roc experience without having to spend £40,000-plus.

Would we buy the R-Line?

Probably not at the price of our test car.

There's nothing fundamentally wrong with it.

In fact, we really like the T-Roc.

But once you add expensive options to an already expensive R-Line, the value equation becomes much harder to justify.

And that's why we think the £267-per-month lease deal we found during filming made much more sense than buying our £42,000-plus example outright.

That particular deal was based on two years, 10,000 miles per year and £3,000 upfront, so obviously lease offers change over time and shouldn't be treated as a current price.

But it highlighted something important about the T-Roc:

How you buy one can make a huge difference.

Pros

• Comfortable and composed ride

• Excellent visibility

• Feels like a raised Golf from behind the wheel

• 150PS eTSI has plenty of everyday performance

• Very smooth DSG gearbox

• Bigger 475-litre boot

• Modern interior

• Excellent digital driver's display

• Physical steering-wheel buttons

• Plenty of customisation

• Strong road manners

• Distinctive exterior design

Cons

• R-Line gets expensive very quickly

• Lots of desirable equipment is optional

• No electric seats on our test car

• No panoramic roof

• Rear space is only average for taller passengers

• Camera quality could be much better

• Infotainment can take some time to learn

• Our test car's 29mpg was well below the official figure

• R-Line wheels aren't particularly exciting

• Options can push the price above £40,000

Car Chat TV Verdict

So, is the new Volkswagen T-Roc any good?

Yes.

It's actually a really good car.

It's comfortable, quiet, easy to drive and surprisingly enjoyable when you find a good road.

The suspension is one of its strongest points, the DSG gearbox is excellent and the 150PS engine gives you enough performance without turning the T-Roc into something it isn't.

It's also practical enough for everyday family life, with that useful 475-litre boot.

And inside, Volkswagen has brought the T-Roc properly up to date.

But we keep coming back to the price.

Our R-Line test car was already approaching £40,000 before the options, and once you start adding things such as the electric tailgate, upgraded lighting and technology packs, you're looking at more than £42,000.

That's a lot of money.

And while the T-Roc feels like a quality product, there are plenty of very capable rivals competing for that money.

For us, the T-Roc makes much more sense when you get into one of the better-value trims – or when you can find a genuinely attractive lease deal.

It's not a revolutionary car.

It's something much more familiar.

It's a very good, very comfortable, very easy-to-live-with Volkswagen.

And for a lot of buyers, that's exactly what they're looking for.

Car Chat TV Score: 7/10

Adam: 7/10

Ollie: 7–7.5/10

The new T-Roc is a solid all-rounder.

Just be very careful with those options.